Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removedher hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they lookedintently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove thatit’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed thedoor.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to herneck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us.You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Sureshis in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory afterI say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey lookedat the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone inpanic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound ofthe slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands.He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm ofa road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towardsSuresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promisesmade at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. Yousaid a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us andstay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do weneed to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is acomplicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trickthem and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at thevisibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job.It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After afew minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. Thecameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out ofthe room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting withanyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blanklyand said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain wentinto the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he sawa car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and heopened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey waswith his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked,‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed himon his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified thecause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with noway out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before theywere dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrotethe address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspectordiscussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the pasttwo days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in yourclutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goonsand picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poorpeople, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the conditionhere is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is atotal of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare youmess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him ona chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building.A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose.He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car thatstopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left thehouse.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messingwith. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in theportico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall.As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspectorblankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer mycondolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have doneit. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CMof Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assemblywith a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Stillin tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Heyboy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understandhow Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself,‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house.He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled thehand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out andcame back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left myfamily, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came backwith a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. Youcan come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No soonerdid I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call.You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shreyas the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointedout smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded andsaid, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even alone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you getinto the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s rightknee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narainarrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreyaasked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed,Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’scheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convincedthat the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along witha man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walkedby the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to senda message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in hispocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doingit. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would freehim of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towardsthe window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly),gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think Iwould listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He wavedgoodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Letme go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men orthe police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right placefor what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at hissister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gateand unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a lowvoice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost.If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seatedwho had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating systemI wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them.What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and fewmedia people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrestyou. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort ofhuman contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He lookeddrowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrilyat Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house andgot on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was stillin deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a fewmetres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyesfrom behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back.She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging fromthe ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious thatif it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the socalled suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in LajpatNagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met theinspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the locationof a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that youheed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as fewpeople were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext ofcorruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridorwith a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, asthey stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the bighall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twentiesentered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiledslightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield andsaw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Takeyou own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turnedto his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by thebus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten inthe morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey gottensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the familiesof the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. Onenight, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Sendme your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’tready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke franticallyfor a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call,but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of thecar. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extremeshock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station anddrove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey wasabout switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from thehall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying tohelp someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and thewoman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the youngman said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go tomeet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call.I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door afterhe stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed outat another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap intoour phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damnit! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting foryou outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window witha silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

Aday after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it wasimportant which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is fora short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspectorreplied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice,‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will begiving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached thesofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the softwareto be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call inhis cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The roomhad numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minuteslater. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of yourconstituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’trefuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back witha paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with maskedmen in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the moneyinto his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cookingin the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea ofwhat exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. Shebarely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I meansuffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband onhis cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knowswhat had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands andsaid, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s housetwo days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going onthat news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the mediapeople and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He thenspoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shownon TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participatein the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have tomanage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going todie tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shreyexplained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirtiesstopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his bosswouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in frontof his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a fewhours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of moneyand he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house.The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shreyasked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has beentaken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed tome that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have startedby now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along withthe police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly wassuspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some peoplein disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh?If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. Theyoung driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in anair-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went throughthe small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreyasaid softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey saton the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. Ican’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read thefile together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fiftyyear old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at homethan you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I havea task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the formerto approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing afinger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolateme?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to getin.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajenderthought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with hisbike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the porticoof his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to getrid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock thedoor, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one;the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide.We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The triogot into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towardsShweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen ifanybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He hearda woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one tohandcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked atShrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’tfind anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. Theystarted raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing yousay.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car wentout of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with youagain.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. Youcould use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss aboutwith you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good thatyou have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked theinspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘Howserious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you asto who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom anysort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc becausea politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajenderwould call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. Thejournalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ Theinspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No socialmedia, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the opencorridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know Ihave no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drovefor a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, aspark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

Inthe evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through thefurnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neckand took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms oftheir respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of,it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally thejournalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from asmall table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outsidethe building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’smind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said,‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket.He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stopof Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sentaway. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcasefrom the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh wincedin pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himselfon a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was tostep into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head andrevealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met inthe morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t makeit too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav andShweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the manleft in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed havingbreakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. Theinspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Imet them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore,and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location andtwenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, thepoliticians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narainstared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desiredrecipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In thepresent, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered thesweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stoppedScorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded,‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit onone of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibilityof you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shreywent into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now.I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way tothe police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you alocation as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to nottake a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he hadalready done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. Itis necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded bypeople that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver willreveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The manpressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector metfor the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling,Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. Thedoor was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we makea baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report.The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and sawthe inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at thebus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anythingto save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraidof him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours.It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met meand wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lyingmotionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gatheringin increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take allof you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind thedriver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s angerdisappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and stealthe money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening?I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two shouldcome to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met theinspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why didhe come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful;don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle ofthe hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’twrite software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively wellisolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajenderwas with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording,the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you todo something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knockedthe door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said,‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

Afterthe call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s onenearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

TheTravera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shreystepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held herwaist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each otheron a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let theinspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, apolitician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took nochance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him brieflyand he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What couldthe task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart.I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for awhile and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing mylocation at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going totake you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, athirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at adistance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark.One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly hairedsister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather thanstaying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women,who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shreyto the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call anda minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin ashe nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick upthe call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

Theinspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with thosethree journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are ina room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about theinconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hellwere you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in theoutskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will beplacing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan,young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we willmeet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping theformer’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-westroom as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We areexpecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread theinformation by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. Thefifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey noddedand revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said,‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey ashe came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anythingstupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang,we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted,‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paperto Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the restof his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself,‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your planis a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I toldyou. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiledmischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hiddenactivity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in theafternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His wordsare the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a goodjob. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about hisactivities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, verysoon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, Iam sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second,Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? Maybe they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your politicalactivities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waitingin the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked athim blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimesand corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I ambusy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was askedto be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now.It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, withher hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in thelast two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had twostaircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working fromhome from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured anunlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In theground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visiblyrelieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed,‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall ofhis house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, allof them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajenderexclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw hissweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at theknob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gavean expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she satin his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalistsdied on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘Iknow that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stopin Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you ifyou tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I willcome back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspectorlooked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a storyof how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How arethe two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phoneto Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the electioncoming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has beenlost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got downand walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waitingoutside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood itspolice station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey,it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst,of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could wepossibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced,with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anythingto her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s wherethe problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After abrief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; thepeople working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whateverhe would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’tsee anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in thesurrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expressionon his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The carpassed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. Theinspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of himlater. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thoughtit would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all Ineed.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your housewould be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothingis going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly fromnow. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on theleft arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’thave any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively pickedup the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had apartly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing thethree goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go intoisolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

Ashe took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajenderread the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked mandriving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked theserial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzedand he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As theywalked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and keptlooking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they wererumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Juststay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politicianis very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured thecouple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed youraddress in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajenderis going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajenderfocused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what isit?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. Howcould they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajendergrowled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcasefrom Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took ofhis mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very wellaware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further andsaid, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I wouldbe leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at herand said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreyawas lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful inAdarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple pastthe door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late foryour work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely upto something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the onewho murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soonas Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir,you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days.On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goonsand took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need hisnew number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car bythe roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled thehandle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang thedoorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to myseat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and theinspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shreywrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook hishands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dareyou people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run awayfrom me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post itscompletion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajendersaid, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laidyesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

Asthey walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause andspoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said,‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after itpassed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon ashe got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked atShreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open,Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

Asthey looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof toprove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shreyclosed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knifeto her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beansabout us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guynamed Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into thefactory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, youngman.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over thephone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ Thesound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still inhis hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on onearm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontallypointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfilyour promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘SureSir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meetus and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable ordo we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘Itis a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people,just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intenselyat the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from gettinga job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a fewminutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens andbooklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took himout of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and nomeeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narainlooked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, doyou?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time,he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mindand he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day,Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance,he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. Shekissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem reportcertified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problemswith no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politicianbefore they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of himand wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, whathappened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘inthe past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’sin your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away fromthe goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured withShweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back afterthe condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘Thisis a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘Howdare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat beforehim on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor ofthe building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here onofficial purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the policecar that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded andleft the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who weare messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stoppedin the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned tothe hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked atthe inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, tooffer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’thave done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty yearold CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out ofthe assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked,‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young maledriver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unableto understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. Heasked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storiedindividual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shreypulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey wentout and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I haveleft my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room andcame back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these twoidiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured,‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cutthe call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walkedtowards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The onebeing pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajendernodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy,even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon asyou get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hitSuresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’shouse, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed,‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyesstill closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped onher husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased werenot convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door,along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in latetwenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We needto send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzedin his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that theykeep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something whichwould free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He franticallyran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (DelhiLegislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’tthink I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase.He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. Hepleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using yourmen or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is theright place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closed his eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmlyat his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand around her back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through thesmall gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were found hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed ina low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is so serious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name atany cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behind the so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year oldwas seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He lives in Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like theoperating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shrey met the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes Ihave them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent me the location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goonsand few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensure that you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my dutyto arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys are completely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from anysort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later, as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door.He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on the pretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajenderlooked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived to the corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’shouse and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, they stopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as hewas still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

In the big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went upa few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

Chapter 1

In Lajpat nagar, one of the busiest places in Delhi; stood its police station by a roadside with the area’s sub post office as a nearby landmark. One morning, a trim-bearded young man in mid-twenties entered through the gates and was to step into the ground floor of the building. A SI (sub inspector) in his early-thirties stopped him from going further and said, ‘I wanted to meet you, but I couldn’t find time. Right now, I am busy. If you don’t mind, Shrey, can I come to your house in the evening? I don’t think this is the right place for what I have to discuss about with you.’

Shrey nodded and replied, ‘Sure Sir. You said a week earlier that it was important which is why I thought it would be better to see you in the office. It is okay; we will meet in the evening.’

Shrey left the station and drove away in his car, Scorpio.

Shrey stopped Scorpio near by a single storied individual house. He got down the car, went through the small gate and rang the doorbell. A long haired woman in her mid-twenties opened the door, saw him and gave an expression of familiarity. She whispered, ‘Hubby, you are in for a surprise, come in.’

Shrey stepped in and his wife closedhis eyes from behind. As he walked through the furnished hall under his wife’s guidance, he asked, ‘Shreya, May I get an idea of what exactly the surprise is?’

As they walked, Shreya chuckled and said, ‘It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if I told you. Just keep going, you’ll come to know.’

They stopped in front of a room. The door was closed. With his eyes still closed, Shreya whispered into his ears, ‘Knock the door, hubby.’

As the door swung open, Shreya removed her hands off her husband’s eyes. He saw his sister and exclaimed, ‘Hey, it has been a long while. How are you? Did my bro-in-law come?’

His curly haired sister, who was in her late twenties, smiled slightly as she shook her head and revealed, ‘I have come here on official purpose. He wanted to come but his boss wouldn’t let him go. I would be leaving in the evening. Please don’t mind me leaving so quickly. I was asked to be present at the work place at the earliest. May be you two should come to the US.’

Shrey looked calmly at his sister and said, ‘It is good that you have come here to meet us and stay here, even if it is for a short period. That’s all I need.’

After the sunset, Shrey and his wife neared their house in Scorpio after dropping the former’s sister at the airport. As Shrey was about switch off the car, Shreya persuaded, ‘Honey don’t switch off the car.’

Shrey pulled the hand break and looked at her. Shreya said softly, ‘Just come to my seat. I will make way for you.’ After Shrey came to her seat, she sat in his lap perpendicularly, with her legs stretching to the adjacent seat. He held her waist by curving his hand aroundher back. She put her arm around his neck and took a short breath. She kissed him on his lips for a while. She barely retracted her face and kept looking at him as she had an elated mood and a slight smile. Shrey smiled mischievously and hit on her, ‘You are in a really good mood. Shall we make a baby now?’

Shreya playfully tapped on her husband’s cheek and reciprocated, ‘We already made one; the one I am carrying now.’

As they looked intently at one another, they heard a sound, which was a short burst, of a siren. Startled, Shreya regretted, ‘I think we should have gone home rather than staying here.’ Shrey looked through the windshield and saw the SI he had met in the morning, getting down the police car that stopped a few metres away, in front of his car.

Shrey looked at her and said calmly, ‘We have a guest. We need to step into our house now. It is important.’

The Scorpio’s door swung open and the couple got down. Shrey met the inspector while Shreya went through the small gate and unlocked the house. Shrey asked the inspector, ‘Is my house comfortable or do we need to go anywhere else, Sir?’

The inspector replied, ‘A room in your house would be sufficient.’

They went into the house. Shrey took the inspector into the empty north-west room as he brought two chairs from the hall. He made the inspector sit on one of the chairs. Shrey went out and came back with a foldable table.

Shrey sat on the other chair and the inspector spoke, ‘Don’t reveal this to anyone at any cost.’

Shrey nodded.

The inspector revealed, ‘Three journalists died on the same night two weeks ago, a week before we saw each other on a night. They were foundhanging from the ceiling fan in the bedrooms of their respective homes. Post mortem report certified the cause of death as Asphyxia, I mean suffocation. Before their deaths, they were rumoured to be digging about a politician’s hidden activities. Co-incidentally there was a rumoured hidden activity shared by the politician and the doctor who signed on the post mortem report. The families of the deceased were not convinced that the deceased would have committed suicide. We don’t have any proof to prove that it’s a murder. If what the families argue is true, how could we possibly punish the accused?’

Shrey thought for a while, ‘I need two people, men or women, who can convince others with their words. Take you own time, Sir, but don’t make it too late.’

The inspector nodded and left the house.

Chapter 2

On the same night, a few hours after the inspector left, Shreya was lying on the bed in the dim bed light-lit south-west room, beside Shrey, with her hand spread across his upper torso. In a low voice, Shreya queried, ‘Why did he come?’

Shrey sighed and revealed in a low voice, ‘He came for help.’

Shreya questioned, ‘How serious is the problem?’

Shrey answered, ‘It is a complicated problem.’

Shreya asked with a shivering voice, ‘How safe are we?’

Shrey reassured, ‘Nothing is going to happen to you.’

Anguish by now, Shreya grumbled, ‘What about you? We are expecting a child and you are trying to help someone, even though there’s a possibility of you getting hurt. I have left my family, just to be with you. I can’t bear anything happening to you.’

Shrey wrapped his arm around her, pulled her closed and kissed her. He then replied, ‘I know that you love me. I can’t live without you either. I can’t let the inspector down. The problem is soserious that if it is not taken care of, it will lead to severe problems with no way out later.’

Shreya kissed her husband on his cheek and said softly, ‘Just stay alive, hubby.’

Shrey chuckled affirmatively in response and hugged her tightly.

Two days later in the afternoon, alone in the house, Shrey heard a doorbell. He opened the door and saw the inspector standing by the door, along with a man and a woman. The trio got into the house and Shrey closed the door.

In the hall, Shrey and the others sat on the sofa adequately spaced, with the inspector on extreme left and the woman on the extreme right and Shrey to the right of the inspector. Shrey turned to his right and explained, ‘Aarav and Shweta, you guys know who we are messing with. He has a lot of money and he is very powerful in Adarsh Nagar. The corruption in the constituency had risen to an abnormal high in the last two years. There’s still a year left for the elections to happen. Be careful; don’t reveal the inspector’s name at any cost. If they happen to threaten you as to who is behind you people, just trick them and run away. I will be giving you the script briefly from now. Bring out as many versions as you can, without changing the facts. Spread the information by gossiping about it.’

The man and the woman, a couple, nodded in response. Shrey went into the north-east room and came back with a file. The couple read the file together as inspector shook his hands with Shrey.

The next day, Aarav and Shweta were at a moderately crowded bus stop in Adarsh Nagar. In an audible voice, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘You know what, a politician is rumoured to be behindthe so called suicides of three journalists. Coincidentally the journalists were digging about the politician before they were dead.’

Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what had happened, love. The politician is very rich and no one dares to question him in Adarsh Nagar. His words are the orders.’

Two days later, as Aarav and Shweta were spreading the rumours at the bus stop, a man in late twenties walked by the bus stop. He went towards Shweta and angrily held the knife to her neck as she stood motionless in fear. Aarav screamed, ‘Please don’t do anything to her. I will do whatever you ask me.’

The man made a phone call and a minute later, a car arrived by the bus stop. The couple and the man left in the car and stopped in the portico of a two storied individual house. The man took the couple past the door into a big hall which had all kinds of furniture and had two staircases on either side. On the centrepiece of a U-shaped sofa, in the middle of the hall, a fifty year old was seated who had eyes which could fathom any sort of trickery. He stared intensely at the visibly scared couple as they approached the sofa. The couple sat on the left arm of the sofa while the young man sat on the right arm. The fifty year old man, turned towards the young man said, ‘Suresh you can go now. I will talk to these two idiots. You can come later.’

After Suresh left, the fifty year old man roared, ‘How dare you people spread rumours about Rajender in his own constituency! I will spare you if you tell me who told you these rumours about me.’

Drenched in sweat, Aarav took no chance, ‘It is Shrey. He livesin Lajpat Nagar.’ He took a paper from a small table in front of him and wrote the address. Aarav folded his hands and said, ‘Please spare us.’

Rajender gestured the couple to walk away. He called Suresh and appreciated him, ‘You have done a good job. We can’t afford to have rumours about us like this. I will do anything to save my seat. We need to send a message about what would happen if anybody dares to spill the beans about us. You see the paper on the table near the left arm? That’s where the problem is. We should take care of it.’ Suresh gave an evil grin as he nodded.

Chapter 3

Two days later around ten in the morning, Shrey and Shreya completed having breakfast. After dishwashing, they returned to the hall. As they sat in the sofa, Shrey asked, ‘aren’t you getting late for your work? Should I drop you?’

Shreya shook her head and answered, ‘I am working from home from today. I am tired of travelling to work.’

Shrey smiled and asked, ‘You can’t write software, for instance, like the operating system I wrote?’

Shreya explained, ‘You wrote Uboc because a politician prevented you from getting a job. It took five years for the software to be successful. I really don’t have any such situation as of now. I will give it a try someday.’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘Listen, I have to go to meet some people on my way to the police station.’

Shreya laughed and humoured, ‘No sooner did I start to stay at home than you began to run away from me.’

Shrey giggled in response and said, ‘Thanks for the English classes today. I will come back as soon as possible.’

As Shrey was about to go, Shreya hugged him briefly and he left.

An hour later, Shreymet the inspector at Lajpat Nagar police station outside the building. Shrey asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

The inspector discussed, ‘The couple went to Rajender’s house two days ago. They revealed your address in fear.’

Shrey stayed calm and asked, ‘Did they get to know anything about his activities?’

The inspector blurted out, ‘No’, after a brief pause; he asked Shrey, ‘Aren’t you afraid of him now?’

Shrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket and he answered it. He heard a woman panic, ‘Hubby, some guy named Suresh is in our home and he is armed with a pistol.’ After a brief pause, a man spoke, ‘Rajender Sir will call you in 5 minutes. Pick up the call.’

After the call got cut, Shrey got tensed but managed to stay calm. The inspector asked, ‘What happened?’

Shrey looked at the inspector blankly and said, ‘My wife has been taken hostage. They are definitely up to something.’

The inspector face palmed and said, ‘Oh! No.’

Shrey continued, ‘I hope you procured an unlicensed gun and a silencer. As you know, my house is in a relatively well isolated area.’

The inspector confirmed, ‘Yes I have them. What should we do now?’

Shrey revealed, ‘Rajender would call me in a few minutes.’

After a few minutes, Shrey got a call in his cell phone. He instinctively picked up the call and put it on speaker mode. The voice on the phone said, ‘You must be desperately waiting for the call. I am going to send you a location as soon as I cut the call. You must come there alone. I have a task for you. Post its completion, your wife will be set free.’

After the call got cut, Shrey and the inspector looked at the location sent to his cell phone. Shrey thought to himself, ‘What could the task be? He sent methe location of a factory.’

A though struck the inspector’s mind and he revealed it, ‘in the past two days, rumours have been going on that news channel owned by Rajender is going to reveal the person who committed the murders of the three journalists, very soon.’

Shrey looked at the inspector and said, ‘Tell Aarav and Shweta to continue spreading rumours. It is very important that they keep doing it. You should be the one to handcuff me, Sir. Get into the factory after I say what Rajender wants me to say. Keep watching Rajender’s channel; the people working in his channel are the ones who would be shooting through the cameras.’

The inspector nodded and queried, ‘What about the families of the journalists?’

Shrey nodded and revealed, ‘I met them before coming here, to offer my condolences and give hope. They confessed to me that Suresh is the one who murdered the journalists. As far as I know, I have their trust.’

Chapter 4

In the ground floor of a factory under construction, which was a moderately sized hall-like space, Rajender was with three of his goons and few media people from his news channel. The journalists were ready with pens and booklets. The cameraman was ready with camera. The room had numerous windows and had a partly open door to the east. The partly open door was opened by Shrey as he came in. He closed the door after he stepped in. After gesturing to not take a step further, Rajender walked towards Shrey as the latter waited for the former to approach him. After approaching, Rajender said, ‘I will open the sequence for you. You have to make up a story of how you ran away after murdering those three journalists. Don’t try to act smart. I brought those goons to ensurethat you heed my order.’ Shrey nodded and said, ‘Can’t do anything else. My wife’s in your clutches.’ Rajender smirked.

The duo approached the media people and the goons stepped aside.

Rajender focused towards the camera and spoke, ‘we all know how three journalists were killed, I am sorry, died mysteriously. A day ago, this young man standing beside me met me and wanted to reveal something which would free him of his guilt.’ Rajender looked at Shrey and said, ‘Carry on, young man.’

Shrey looked at the media people who were eagerly waiting to write and record whatever he would say. He spoke, ‘It was a personal rivalry that I had with those three journalists. With time, the enmity grew. One night, I couldn’t control my anger anymore, and I did it. I shouldn’t have done it. I hope the police have started by now, to arrest me.’

As soon as Shrey spoke about arrest, the inspector rushed in with three constables. Rajender was visibly relieved to see the police come so fast. With the media still writing and recording, the inspector spoke, ‘It’s my duty to arrest you. It’s your duty to oblige.’ The inspector handcuffed Shrey and took him out of the room.

The media people left five minutes later. Rajender was standing facing the three goons. He looked at them and guided, ‘You guys can leave. Don’t do anything stupid for a while.’

One of goons pointed out at another and said, ‘Boss, he had already done something stupid.’ The one being pointed out smiled mischievously. The one pointing a finger continued, ‘This stupid got laid yesterday with our help. The girl died today.'

Rajender laughed briefly. Curious, Rajender queried, ‘How are the two events connected?’

The goon answered, ‘He got laid without her consent.’

Rajender laughed for a while and said, ‘You guys arecompletely spoilt.’ Rajender’s cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He turned around, walked away from the goons and picked up the call. He then spoke, ‘Narain Awasthi Sir, what is it?’

The voice over the phone spoke, ‘Rajender be careful, you aren’t safe.’ In a split-second, Rajender heard three gun shots simultaneously. He turned around and saw the three goons lying motionless, on the floor. He frantically ran towards the window and peered but he couldn’t find anyone. He spoke over the phone in panic, ‘CM (Chief Minister) Sir, three of my goons are dead. I couldn’t see anyone. What should I do?’

The voice over the phone said, ‘If you are in a room, don’t come out of it. Send me your location.’

Rajender sent the location and twenty minutes later, the fifty year old CM of Delhi entered the factory along with the police.

Rajender frantically pleaded, ‘Awasthi Sir, you have to help me. Please find out the person behind this.’

Narain nodded and revealed, ‘There’s a gang who’s after you. We need to catch them. I need you to do something. Stay away from any sort of human contact for seven days. No social media, no phone calls and no meeting with anyone. I will take care of your constituency for a week. Go into isolation.’

Rajender was visibly shocked. He mumbled, ‘Sir?’

Narain confirmed, ‘You should do it, Rajender. This gang, we don’t know whether they can tap into our phones and social media apps. It is necessary that you do this.’

Rajender nodded and said, ‘Where are you going to isolate me?’

Narain revealed, ‘In my house.’

Chapter 5

As they walked out of the factory towards the convoy, Rajender handed over his cell phone to Narain and said, ‘Keep my phone with you. I don’t want them knowing my location at any cost.’

A day later,as few people were present in the bus stop of Adarsh Nagar, Aarav rumoured with Shweta, ‘Poor people, they think that the guy shown on TV was the murderer. How could they believe Rajender?’ Shweta rumoured in response, ‘Who knows what’s in people’s minds? May be they are too cowardly to fight.’

The next day, just before noon, people started gathering in increasing numbers near DLA (Delhi Legislative Assembly), gradually surrounding it near its perimeter. They started raising slogans, ‘Resign Rajender.’ The sound of the slogan kept increasing as time went by. Traffic got jammed in the surrounding vicinities. The police attempted to disperse the crowd by communicating to them about the inconvenience caused by their presence. The crowd wasn’t ready to budge. In the evening, the politicians, including Narain, came out of the assembly with a great difficulty. The assembly was suspended for the next six days. On the seventh day, while he was seated in a sofa in the hall of his house, Narain decided that it was enough. He went by a bedroom and knocked the door. Rajender opened the door. He looked drowsy as he came into the open corridor. He asked, ‘Sir, what happened?’

Narain looked blankly and said, ‘Rajender, you should resign. Don’t refuse my word. Here’s your phone.’

As he took the phone in shock, Rajender asked, ‘Sir, why should I resign?’

Narain almost shouted, ‘You know what’s happening near the assembly. Damn it! It is so heavily surrounded by people that forget about the convoy, even a lone person has to struggle to get in.’ Narain took a pause and spoke; ‘You are doing what I am saying. You are not participating in the election coming the next year. The news going out will be that CBI is going to take you into custody on thepretext of corruption and murder. You’ll be secretly sent away. You will come back after the condition here is better. Then you can participate in the election if you wish.’

Rajender growled as he breathed heavily, ‘Sir, I am the one who funds all your political activities. If I am going, then I am not going alone. I will take all of you with me. You shouldn’t think I would listen to every damn thing you say.’

Rajender’s phone buzzed while still in his hands. He picked up the call, stood listening for a while and the expression on his face turned into shell-shock. He shouted, ‘How did it happen? What the hell were you idiots doing?’ After he spoke frantically for a while, the call got cut.

Narain stared blankly at Rajender and asked, ‘What happened?’

Still in tense mood, Rajender revealed, ‘Some people in disguise, shot all my goons and took the money away. A dying goon just made a call. Right now, all of them are dead.’

Narain was visibly astonished and exclaimed, ‘What!’ After a pause, he said, ‘You can still consider my offer.’

Rajender looked angrily at Narain and said, ‘You know I have no other way now, do you?’

Narain went into the hall and came back with a paper and a pen. Rajender read the contents of the paper and signed on it. He handed over the paper to Narain.

Narain revealed, ‘A car is waiting for you outside the house. The driver will reveal the location as soon as you get into the car. Are you ready?’

Chapter 6

Rajender thought for a while and said, ‘Though I don’t have a family, I need some money. All my money has been lost. Could you give me some money?’

Narain made a phone and five minutes later, a thirty year old man arrived tothe corridor with a briefcase. Narain took the briefcase from the man and said, ‘This is a total of ten crores. You have to manage with this.’

Rajender took the briefcase from Narain as he nodded and checked the money.

Outside the house, a Travera was waiting in the portico. Rajender got into the air-conditioned car in the row immediately behind the driver’s seat along with the briefcase. He waved goodbye at Narain as the car went out of the portico on one arm of a road which surrounded a lawn as semi-circle, by the perimeter. The car passed through the gate at the perimeter.

An hour later, on a deserted road in the outskirts of Delhi, Rajender made a phone call, but it wasn’t connecting to the desired recipient. Rajender asked the young male driver, ‘Hey boy, do you happen to know Suresh? If you know, I need his new number.’

The driver blurted out, ‘Suresh’s body was found yesterday in a drain, Sir.’

Shocked, Rajender exclaimed, ‘What!’

A week ago, after he got into the CM’s vehicle, Rajender made a call.

After the call Suresh came out Shrey’s house and got on his bike. After he drove for a brief amount of time, he saw a car coming towards him with masked men in it. The masked man driving the car placed his arm on the sill of the window and the rest of his hand dangled outside the window with a silenced gun in it. The man pressed the trigger. The bullet hit Suresh’s right knee and he crashed along with his bike. The car stopped after it passed Suresh. Suresh got up and limped towards the car. The masked driver got down and walked towards Suresh with gun still in his hand. After they were at a distance of 3 yards apart, theystopped, as they stood facing each other. Suresh winced in pain as he asked, ‘How dare you mess with me? You are going to die tomorrow.’

The masked man took of his mask. Suresh saw Shrey and recognised him. He said in anger, ‘You?’

Shrey looked at him blankly and said, ‘You won’t see that tomorrow.’

As Shrey raised his hand, Suresh’s anger disappeared and fright took over. He pleaded, ‘Let me go. I won’t mess with you again.’

After Shrey put his hand horizontally pointing towards Suresh’s chest, he spoke firmly, ‘Too late, Suresh.’ Shrey emptied the magazine. The inspector came out of the car. Shrey looked at him and said, ‘I will be placing the body in the trunk of the car. We dump the body uncaught.’

In the present, Rajender was still shocked, unable to understand how Shrey could have done it. The young driver stopped the car by the roadside on a road surrounded by forests. He looked behind and Rajender saw his sweaty face. The driver said, ‘Sir, I have to go to the loo. There’s one nearby.’ Rajender nodded instinctively as he was still in deep confusion.

After the driver left, a spark got ignited in Rajender’s mind and he opened the briefcase. He took the money into his hand and checked the serial numbers on the notes. He was severely shocked. He shouted in shock to himself, ‘Narain and Shrey, both are into this. TRAITORS!’

A day after Shrey and the inspector met for the first time in Shrey’s house, Narain arrived in the convoy into the portico of his house. As soon as he got down the car, the watchman approached and said, ‘Sir there’s a guy waiting outside the gate since an hour. He said he wanted to immediately talk about Rajender.’ Narain instantly said, ‘Let him in.’

Inthe big hall of his house, Narain seated himself on a sofa. Shrey sat before him on a chair. Narain asked, ‘What is it?’

Shrey explained, ‘Sir, I am very well aware that you feel Rajender as a burden. You have seen the amount of crimes and corruption he has done. If we are able to somehow isolate him and steal the money he gobbled using your men or the police, his power would vanish. You could use the money to fulfil your promises made at the time of the election. You can take care of him later. What do you say, Sir?’

Narain smiled slightly and said, ‘Would you elaborate the plan, young man?’

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulled the handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.

In the present, Rajender was in extreme shock and anger. Instinctively he remembered the sweaty face of the driver. He asked himself, ‘Why would a man sweat in an air-conditioned car?’ He repeatedly pulledthe handle of the door lock in panic, but it would open. He looked at the knob of the door and saw that it was locked. He shouted in panic, ‘No!’

The Travera blew up and went up a few metres in the air before falling down.

In the evening, on the same day, Shrey was with his wife conversing humorously and cooking in the kitchen. His phone buzzed and he picked it up. The voice on the phone said, ‘Young man, your plan is a success. I hope I won’t see you again.’

After Shrey cut the call, smiling, Shreya asked, ‘Who is it?’

Shrey revealed, ‘A minister.’

Shreya asked, ‘You used a minister to get rid of another minister?’

Shrey looked at Shreya and smiled.